Go Time

I had gotten used to pregnancy gas pains for the past 31 weeks. Not just regular gas but excruciating gas pains that had me doubled over at times.

On the night of March 1st while in bed reading, I started to feel these pains once again. This time however, they were so strong they would wake me up every hour.

I should mention that the day before this, I had gone for my regular bi-weekly ultrasound. Due to my placenta previa scare they always did an external as well as internal. My cervix had always been long at just under 4 cm’s. That wasn’t the case at my most recent appointment. My cervix was now just 2 cm’s long and I was told to go to my OB right away.

My OB wasn’t nervous and said it should slowly shrink and I would likely go into labour in the next 2-3 weeks.

I later noticed some blood in the toilet. It wasn’t accompanied with any cramping so I wasn’t worried or thinking anything unusual was going on.

Fast forward 24 hours to the gas pains…It got to the point where I knew something was different as the gas was also accompanied with a few vulgar works, most times starting with the letter F.

I woke up my husband and he started timing my ‘gas pains.’ They were just 6 minutes apart. Time to go to the hospital to see what was up.

“Are you in labour?” asked the triage nurse when I arrived.

“Um, I don’t think so, but I’m not sure.”

I remember it was a very quiet night at the hospital and I felt like we were the only ones there.

I knew the doctor on call that night, he had filled in for my OB just 2 weeks prior. He was surprised to see me and I told him the feeling was mutual.

After a few routine tests I was told that I was 2 cm’s dilated. To which I replied:

“Well I could be 2 cm’s for a couple of weeks right?”

The doctor on duty said “Nope, this looks like the real deal.”

Holy hell! I was only 31 weeks and 3 days pregnant at that point. I knew the pregnancy was viable but would my babies be okay? Would their lungs be strong enough? Would they be developed enough? Healthy enough? Could I do anything to keep them in longer?

The one question I did know the answer to was that I wouldn’t be able to deliver them at my home town hospital since they don’t deliver earlier than 32 weeks.

After a steroid injection for the babies’ lung development and some magnesium through IV for their brains I was quickly whisked away for my first ambulance ride and sent to a Toronto hospital well known for delivering premature babies.

In just 25 minutes I was at the other hospital and 4 cm’s dilated.

They started my epidural right away and walked me through scenarios and explained that because I was having twins, I’d have to deliver in the operating room just in case.

My parents, my brother and my in laws all arrived at the hospital in no time and after about 12 hours of nothing…no more contractions, pains or any developments, everyone went home thinking that I’d be admitted upstairs for a day or week until the babies decided to make an appearance.

After more than 12 hours on the epidural my nurse said it was time to lower the dosage since nothing had been happening, and I agreed.

Within the next hour or so my contractions were back with a vengeance! I jumped to 7 cm’s dilated, one of my waters broke and Baby A was crowning before my husband could even call our families to tell them to turn around and come back.